Method of cooling of coking retorts and apparatus therefor



METHOD OF COOLING OF COKING RETORTS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed Jan. 12 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /V ,WINVENTOR. I

2 BYm wea ATTORNEYS.

METHOD OF COOLINGOF COKING RE TORTS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed Jan. 12, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III/i? Z1 ax Y IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

W Ma m Patented May 26, 1931 UNITED OFFICE.

JUSEPH van ACKEREN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE KOPPERS QOMPAIIY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA mnrnon or COOLING on comne nnronrs AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Application filed January 12, 1925. Serial Ito. 1,717.

This invention relates broadly to improve ments in the heat treating art and more particularly to means and methods for cooling the coke and regulating the quality of the gas generated in carbonizing plants and the like-having particular utility in continuous vertical coking retort batteries.

The gas generatedby distillation in such batteries is richer inB. t. u. value than is m desirable in commercial practice unless mixed with a leaner gas such as is generated by the reaction of steam or Water on the heated fuel and coke in the process of cooling the latter. However, the ordinary processes of cooling to the necessary degree by steam 'or water inherently result in the production of such large quantities of leaner water gas as to reduce the resultant mixture of gases much below the maximum B. t u. value prescribed an by practically all-of our municipalities. lit

has been proposed to avoid the formation of such large quantities of water gas and the consequent too great dilution of the distilla tion gas by eflieoting the requisite cooling by as flooding t Without forming such large quantities of steam as will react with the heated fuel to produce water gas of a volume to dilute the distillation gases beyond the degree desired. to This process has the very serious objection that it results in the soaking of the coke giving a coke of high water content.

By my invention all of these dificulties are overcome and the advantages obtained that resultant gas of any desired quality can be produced simultaneously with the production of absolutely dry high quality coke while substantially all of the heat absorbed bythe cooling medium is recovered and employed for useful purposes. Thus, my process is both highly ellicient and extremely economical in operation.

In accordance with my invention these results may be accomplished, for instance, by introducing steam into the coke extractor magazines, preferably below the coke extractorroll, to cool the coke, permitting the portion of the steam necessar to react with I the heated fuel to produce t e quantity of 50 water gas required to dilute the distillation e coke with water, thus cooling it gas to the desired degree to ascend in the retort while withdrawing the remainder of the steam or water gas or the mixture of the two from the retort at a point of suflicient height above the coke discharge holder, passing this steam or gas or mixture of the two through a waste heat boiler where the heat is extracted and returning it by a fan into the coke extractor magazine at the point of starting. By this means it is possible to carry on the operation of diluting thedistillat'ion gas independently ,of the operation of cooling the coke and to make the resultant gas of any quality desired. It is thus seen that the cooling operation is efiected in a closed cycle and the introduction of little additional cooling medium during the progress of the operation is required, it only being necessary to add substantially that required for the dilution of the distillation gas The operation is a con.- tinuous one and substantially all of the heat of the coke removed by the cooling medium is recovered as useful energy in the waste heat boiler.

My invention further comprehends means for removing dust particles, such as coke breeze and the like, from the cooling system as well as means for independently regulat-v ing the quantity of the lean water gas supplied the several retorts with respect to each other as well as the total quantity suppliedsaid retorts with respect to that supplied the cooling circuit. Where conditions would render it desirable I may, of course, initially introduce other cooling mediums such as water, taking advantage, for instance, of the high latent heat of the latter to efiect an efiicient cooling of the coke while maintaining the advantages of my invention since my cooling circuit may still be operated to prevent too large a quantity of water gas mixing with the distillation gas. ,7 Y

My invention further consists in such other new and useful improvements and has for further objects such other operative advantagesgor results as may be found to obtain in the process and apparatus hereinafter described or claimed.

While, as a specific-embodiment, I have disclosed the principles involved in my invention applied to a continuous vertical coking retort it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that they are applicable to other coke oven structures or to other heat treating apparatus. a

In the accompanying disclosure, forming part of this specification and showing for purposes of exemplification, a preferred form and manner in which the invention may be embodied and practiced, but without limiting the claimed invention specifically to such illustrative instance or instances:

Figure 1 is a side elevation viewed from the line 11, Fig. 2 showing a continuous vertical retort with my cooling and heat recovering system applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2--2, Fig. 1 showing the connections of the cooling system to the retort, and

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2 showing the arrangement of the damper bricks in the ofltake flues of the cooling system.

The'same characters of reference designate the same parts in each of the several figures.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention there are shown coking chambers 11 alternating with heating walls 12 communicably connected with regenerators 13, the outer ends of the respective coking chambers and heating walls being closed by a refractory wall 15. At the base of each cokin retort is located a coke extractor magazme 16 provided with a coke extractor roll 17. The magazines are provided preferably below the coke extractor rolls with pipes 18 for the introduction of the cooling medium, these pipes being supplied from the main supply pipe 14; and at a point sufficiently high above the magazines ofitake flues 19 communicate with the retort chamber, these flues being provided with regulating damper bricks 2O operable through hand holds 21 for regulation of the gas circulating in each unit ofltake, the hand holds also permitting cleaning of the flues. The flue 19 of each retort is connected by an upright portion 22 to the brick lined flue 23 which in turn leads to the waste heat boiler 24. Where the surplus heat of the gas or steam is extracted, the waste heat boiler being provided with a return pipe 25, the latter pipe being in communication with a fan 26 in turn connected by the pipe 27 and pipes 28, the latter provided with valves 29, to'the respective coke extractor magazines preferably through the same pipes 18 through which the cooling medium is initially introduced from the pipe 14.

In the operation of the device the cooling medium such as steam, is introduced into the coking extractor magazine preferably, as shown, below the extractor roll 17 and coming into contact with the hot coke cools the same, a portion reacting with the coke or the highly heated fuel thereabove to form water gas which, passing upward in the retort, mixes with the richer distillation gas therein and thence is taken oil from the retort chamber 11 through the distillate ofl'take 32 at the upper part of the chamber. The remaining portion of the cooling medium, or water gas, or mixture of the two, will be drawn throughthe cooling system passing to the waste heat boiler where its heat will be extracted and converted into useful work and the cooling medium will thereafter be returned by the fan 26 through the pipes 25 and 27 to the coke extractor magazines where the cooling operation will be repeated. It will thus be seen that the cooling system operates in a closed cycle, the cooling medium therein operating to remove the sensible heat of the cokeand in turn yielding said heat to the waste heat boiler, the cooling medium being then returned to again remove heat from the coke, the process preferably being a continuous one.

The relative quantity of the cooling medium supplied to each retort for diluting the distillation gas therein as well as the quantity supplied to all of the retorts relative to that supplied to the cooling system may be regulated to any desired degree to effect the proper dilution of the distillation gas in each retort as well as the proper cooling eflect by adjustment of the speed of the fan and the positions of the dampers 20, controllin the flow from each of the several retorts, an those of the valves 29. It is thus possible to carr on the operation of regulating the quality 0 the gas in each retort independently of the coolin operation of the coke and to make the resu tant gas of any quality that is desired, while convertin all of the sensible heat of the coke into use 111 work.

Any dust, such as coke breeze, which may pass from the coke extractor magazine into the ofltake 19 will be precipitated in the settling chamber, discharge ports or pockets 30, the valves 31 of which may be temporarily opened to facilitate such precipitation.

The invention as hereinabove set forth or exemplified may be variousl racticed or embodied within the scope o tlie claims hereinafter made. I

I claim:

1. In a continuous vertical retort oven, in

combination: a vertical coking chamber each device and 'c'ommunicably connected with the coking chamber a-t'a point above said maga-f zine and below said distillate-gas ofi'takef means of said coking chamber for off-flow of fluid cooling mediumfrom saidmagazine through said coking chamber separately from and at a lower level than said distillate-gas ofi'take means to said heat recovery device; a returnflue for conveying the fluid medium from the heat recovery. device back to the fluid .introducing means; said return flue communicating with said fluid introducing means and having a pump whose speed may be regulated; and means for selectively proportioning the relative quantities of spent cooling medium flowed off from the cokin chamber through said insulated flue to modify the uality of the gases generated in the coking c amber and drawn ofl through-said distillate-gas oiftake means; and means for selectively proportioning the relative quantities of recirculated medium returned to the magazine from the insulated flue.

2. In a continuous vertical coking retort oven, in combination: a vertical "coking retort chamber adapted to receive fuel to be coked substantially continuously at its top and to discharge coke substantially 'continu ously at its bottom; a coke magazine in open communication with the bottom of said coking chamber and adapted for substantially continuous extraction and discharge of finished coke therefrom; distillate-gas offtake means inv communication with said coking chamber above-the bottom thereof for offtake of gases of distillation from said chamber; means for supplying a fluid cokecooling-medium into said magazine and adapted for effecting cooling of coke therein by contact of the coke-cooling medium with coke in said magazine; coke-cooling-medium ofitake means communicating with said coking chamber between said dlstillate-gas offtake means and said coke magazine and arranged and adapted for off-flow of spent coke-cooling medium from said magazine through said coking chamber separately from and at a lower level than the" distillate-gas ofi'take means for said coking chamber.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 2 together with means for effecting return of spent coke-cooling medium from said cooling-medium ofi'take means to said coke maga zine for further cooling of coke therein.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 2 w together with heat. recovery means in com munication with said cooling-medium ofitake means for receivin spent coke-cooling medium therefrom and adapted for recovery of heat from spent coke-cooling medium received thereby. I

y 5. The combination as claimed in claim 2 together with heat recovery means in communication with said cooling-medium offtake means for receiving spent coke-cooling medium therefrom and adapted for recovery of '.heat from spent coke-cooling medium recelved thereby; and means for effecting return of spent coke-cool ng medium from said heat recovery means to said coke magazine for further cooling of coke therein.

6. The combination as claimed in claim 2 together with regulating and controlling means adapted for regulating and controlling .the off-flow of spent coke-cooling medium from the coking chamber into and through said coke-cooling medium ofi-take means, whereby a regulatable portion of the spent coke-cooling medium may mix with distillate gases in said coking chamber and flow ofl therefrom with said distillate gases through said distillate gas ofitake means.

7. The combination as claimed in claim 2 together with regulating and controlling I means adapted for regulating and controlling the off-flow of spent coke-cooling medium from the coking chamber into and through said coke-cooling medium ofl'take means, whereby a regulatable portion of the spent coke-cooling medium may mix with distillate gases in said coking-chamber and flow off therefrom with said distillate gases through said distillate gas ofi'take means; and meansfor effecting return of spent coke-cooling medium from said cooling-medium ofitake means to said coke magazine for further cooling of coke therein.

8. The method of operating a by-product coking plant to regulate the quality of the distillation gases produced thereby and to cool the coke, which comprises: coking adescending mass of solid carbonizable fuel in a retorting space so that completion 'of coking of the mass increases progressively from top to bottom thereof and thereby producin distillation gases therefrom; discharging finished coke from the bottom of the mass; introducing into the discharging hot coke a fluid cooling medium and thereby coolfrom and without mixture therein with offfiowing distillation gases concurrently being drawn oifabove the bottom of the mass.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 together with the stepsof re-introducing into the discharging coke the. medium that is drawn off from the coking mass separately from and without mixture therein with the off-flowing distillation gases thereof; and further cooling discharging coke therewith.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8 together with the steps of subjecting to heat recovery the medium that is drawn ofi from v the coking mass separately from and without mixture therein with the ofl'fiowing distillation gases thereof, for extracting heat absorbed by said medium.

11. The method as claimed in claim 8 to- .gether with the steps of subjecting to heat of the mass increases progressively from top to bottom thereof and thereby producing dis tillation gases therefrom; discharging finished coke from the bottom of the mass; introducing into the discharging hot coke a fluid cooling medium and thereby cooling the discharging coke; drawing the distillation gases off from said coking mass above the bottom thereof; flowing spent cooling medium off from the discharging coke into the substantially completely coked portion of the coking mass in .the bottom of the retorting space; drawing off spent cooling medium from the substantially completely coked portion of the coking mass separately from and without mixture therein with ofl-flowing distillation gases concurrently being drawn off above the bottom of the mass; diverting a portion of the spent cooling medium, that is flowed off from the discharging coke into the coking mass, from the spent medium being drawn off from the coking mass separately from and before contact with the ofi-flowing distillation gases; passing the diverted portion in contact with a further less completely coked portion of the coking mass; and mixing such diverted portion with the distillation gases that are to be drawn off from the coking mass above the bottom thereof as aforesaid, to modify thequality of said distillation gases when so drawn off.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 together with the steps of re-introducing into the discharging coke the medium that is drawn off from the'coking massseparately from and without mixture therein with the off-flowing distillation gases thereof; and further cooling discharging coke therewith.

14:. The method as claimed in claim 12 together with the step of subjecting to heat recovery the medium that is drawn oil from the coking mass separately from and without mixture therein with the off-flowing distillation gases, for extracting heat absorbed by said medium. I

15. The method as claimed in claim 12 together with the step of subjecting to heat recovery the medium that is drawn off from the coking mass separately from and without mixture therein with the off-flowing distillation gases, for extracting heat absorbedby said medium, to recondition it for further cooling and then reintroducing the reconditioned medium to the discharging coke, and further cooling discharging coke therewith.

16. A method as claimed in claim 8 and in which the fluid cooling medium is introduced into the discharging hot coke initially as water.

17. A method as claimed in claim Sand in which the fluid cooling medium is introduced into the discharging hot coke as water in liquid state.

18. A method as claimed in claim 12 and in which the fluid cooling medium is introduced into the discharging hot coke initially as water.

19. A method as claimed in claim 12 and in which the fluid cooling medium is introduced into the discharging hot coke initially as water and in which the said diverted portion that ismixed with the distillation gases is converted into water gas prior to flowing v out of the coking mass in mixture with the distillation gases.

20. A method as claimed in claim 12 and in which the fluid coolingmedium is intro duced into the discharging hot coke initially as water in liquid state.

In testimony whereof,

I have hereunto set my hand. i

JOSEPH VAN AGKEREN. 

